Sequestration, US Budget Control Act 'Have Negative Impact' on US SOCOM

US Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Lumpkin says that defense spending caps, or sequestration, and the US Budget Control of 2011 forecast negative implications for the United States Special Operations Command because of projected reduced resources.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Defense spending caps, or sequestration, and the US Budget Control of 2011 forecast negative implications for the United States Special Operations Command because of projected reduced resources, US Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Lumpkin told the US Senate Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

“Sequestration and the Budget Control Act will have a negative impact for the US Special Operations Command,” Lumpkin said on Tuesday. “When we have challenges, we frequently cut research and development and education. We must not cut those because of sequestration.”

The Budget Control Act The was signed into law by US President Barack Obama on August 2, 2011, and involves the creation of the Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, and options for a balanced budget amendment and automatic budget sequestration.

Lumpkin explained that the US Special Operations Command works like a household, and makes decisions based on resources that are available. He said that the biggest impact the sequestration and Budget Control Act will have is on the ability to keep up with the modernization of the special operations arsenal such as aircraft.

“Those aircraft will come to us at a slower rate as a result of sequestration,” Lumpkin said. “It will slow modernization for special operations aircraft.”

Lumpkin is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflicts.